Category Archives: Dream Big!

On this day the 4th of May (May the 4th be with you) someone had a dream, a dream of scripting the successful story of ‘Star Wars.’ In Walt Disney’s own words ‘A dream is a wish your heart makes.’ George Lucas must of had a few wishes in his heart to bear the fruits of his dream. He founded Lucasfilm and sold it to The Walt Disney Company – so the two were connected by their love of storytelling to be enjoyed on the big screen. I felt compelled to write my 5th blog today as in 10 days time (10 is my favourite number) I will be attending the absolutely wonderful organisation ‘Dreams2live4’s ball.

Dreams2live is an absolutely wonderful programme that make dreams come true to people living with metastatic cancer. These dreams can be holidays with family, meeting idols and many more fabulous experiences. It gives the people something wonderful to look forward to and to take them away from the hospital environment of chemo, radiation, Drs appointments, scans and the agonising wait to get the results. Dreams2live4 started out as someone’s dream and that special someone was – Annie Robinson. Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting her, I know her vision has touched so many lives and it would be far too impossible to count them all. Annie’s dream of bringing joy to others while going through their worst imaginable nightmare came true with the help of her sister Louise Mahoney who continues her sister’s legacy. Louise is now the Chief Dream Maker and my son Jacob was fortunate enough to have two of those precious dreams during the toughest fight of his 20 year old life.

Our family first met Louise when Jacob was at Prince of Wales Hospital getting treated for metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma. We were in the tv room when she sat down on the lounge with pen in hand writing down his dreams and aspirations in life, the things that mattered, the things that made him smile, taking the time to know his story. She left us with a task of coming up with a list of things he’d love to do or be part of. This gave us a happy distraction, coming up with all the ideas of what he’d like to do. In October 2014 we heard the most wonderful news that Jacob was going to get an opportunity, thanks to the hard work of Louise and the team of dreams2live4, to work on a film set as he so desperately wanted to become a cinemaphotographer. He was invited to go onset in Sydney as they filmed and produced the movie ‘Truth’ starring Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace etc. Jacob’s sister Amy escorted him to the set and shared the experience on her Facebook – ‘Having a good day on the set of ‘Truth’ with Jacob Wieck. We got here at 11, watched Robert Redford shoot a scene. Had lunch at 5. Now waiting for Cate Blanchett to shoot a scene. Then one more scene and home time. Jacob is having the time of his life 😊 he hasn’t stopped smiling.’ It was a dream experience. He was even asked back on the set for another day and he was considered family to the cast and film crew. Unfortunately Jacob never got to see the movie, it was released during the week we laid him to rest. We received lovely emails from the Australian ‘Truth’ crew on hearing of Jacob’s passing. Brad Fischer, one of the producers had said that he will always think of Jacob as part of the ‘Truth’ family and that the director James Vanderbilt had reminded us that the picture of Jacob and Cate is on the notice-board in Mary Mapes offices and is clearly visible in many of the shots and that he will always be a part of the movie and be seen in it. We watched the movie proudly once it was released at a screening of it at an outdoor theatre at our local botanical garden with the sweet smell of honeysuckle and jasmine in the air. There was one shiny bright star twinkling in the sky as the title screen came on and we knew it was Jacob.

The second part of Jacob’s dream was to have a weekend get-away with 4 mates in Sydney in January just before his surgery to remove his tumour. They bought themselves trendy new suits to go out in style to do Jacob’s favourite thing – go to the movies. They watched the last film in ‘The Hobbit’ series at a gold class theatre, watching it in comfy seats eating food and drinks like kings. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch certain movies without thinking of my brave boy and his love and knowledge, he was a walking – talking IMDb. In the same sad year we lost Jacob, we lost another two beautiful souls Ash and Chris and they had their own dreams fulfilled. After seeing how much pleasure the ‘dreams2live4’ dreams gave Jacob, our family made a promise that on celebrations like Christmas, Easter and Jacob’s birthday we will donate his gifts in money in honour of Jacob to the programme so other people suffering metastatic cancer can get to enjoy their own dreams – ‘paying it forward.’

I know this is a really far fetched dream and I know it is quite impossible for it to come true but if for a moment we could play out a part in a movie, I would love to be Adam Sandler in the movie ‘The Cobbler’ and to be turned into whoever’s shoes he puts on. In a heartbeat I would put on a pair of Jacob’s size 13 shoes just to see him staring back at me from that mirror, to say hi, to hear his voice, see his smile, and to tell him how much we love and miss him.

We all have dreams that are the illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you. In several of Walt Disney’s classic movies we can see dreams being wished upon. Cinderella dreams about going to the ball and meeting her Prince Charming and Pinocchio dreams of becoming a real boy. I’m just like that little girl who has dreamt of going to a ball (the Dreams2live4 ball) and I am so looking forward to catching up with so many amazingly beautiful people there who have touched our lives and have become like family during the time we spent in hospital. ‘So when you wish upon a star, makes no different who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you….if your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme, when you wish upon a star as dreamers do…’ My dream is that I hope there comes a day when cancer is just a zodiac sign.